Got in. Now what.

[josephf1]

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Congrats to all who got in, looked like abotu 60% did, no drop off in competitiveness this year in Cards.
So what do you all study now 1 year prior to fellowship.
How much ECHO, stress test is a PGY3 suppoesed to know?
Any book recs?

 

[Bonza Debogian]

Don't do anything different. You'll learn when you're doing it. Enjoy you're third year. But, if you have a chance, I think it could be a good idea to do a couple of weeks of echo if possible. We're all going to be idiots when we start....

 

[RickyBobby23]

Relax and chill out

-R

 

[pdjy]

Relax and chill out

-R

shake and bake

 

[muscles]

I'll probably try to read O'keefe's EKG book- I hear it's the standard for cardiology fellows....

 

[dadr]

How much ECHO, stress test is a PGY3 suppoesed to know?

Virtually none, other than being able to get the pertinent information from the report. It is just not practical to try to learn about echo and nuc from a book during your residency. Even hanging out in the echo lab won't help much - you have to get your hand on the probe and do echos to really understand the views and how we make the measurements.

Read a good ECG book, and try to read and apply the ACC/AHA giudelines during your last ward months as a resident - that will help the most. You are expected to be totally clueless on how to do an echo and do a diagnostic cath.

 

[NDESTRUKT]

Here's my plan for my PGY3 year since there's some extra time and lighter schedule:

1. Run the LA Marathon
2. Prague in November, Morocco in February
3. Weekend trips to NYC, Napa, and SF
4. Finish reading some non medical texts
5. Video games
6. Finish and submit my article to be published (a photojournalism piece for a travel magazine, not a medical journal).
7. Spend as much time with my co-residents as possible before we go our separate ways.

I'm most likely going to be "dumber" than most of my fellow cards fellows, but my life will probably be much more interesting.

 

[halodoctor]

Here's my plan for my PGY3 year since there's some extra time and lighter schedule:

1. Run the LA Marathon
2. Prague in November, Morocco in February
3. Weekend trips to NYC, Napa, and SF
4. Finish reading some non medical texts
5. Video games
6. Finish and submit my article to be published (a photojournalism piece for a travel magazine, not a medical journal).
7. Spend as much time with my co-residents as possible before we go our separate ways.

I'm most likely going to be "dumber" than most of my fellow cards fellows, but my life will probably be much more interesting.

Your post is inspiring... I'm going to jog more!

 

[medgirl91]

Congrats to all who got in, looked like abotu 60% did, no drop off in competitiveness this year in Cards.
So what do you all study now 1 year prior to fellowship.
How much ECHO, stress test is a PGY3 suppoesed to know?
Any book recs?

Hi! I am a registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer (RDCS). I have my AAS and BS degrees in ECHO. I am applying to medical school pretty soon to hopefully one day be a cardiologist. Do you think my experience as an echo tech will help me get into a cards fellowship? I have a lot of experience with echo, stress tests, ekg, nuc med tests, ect...

Thank you and congrats on everything!! I hope to be where you are one day!
~medgirl91

 

[littlecbug]

medgirl91- Well you're obviously way ahead of most fellows in training. I think it will help with matching into cards, but keep in mind that research trumps everything. You will also be ahead of the game if you choose to do imaging research because interpreting echos and the data will make a lot more sense to you.

Btw, medgirl, I have a question for you- Any tips on obtaining a good apical view? It's so damn hard.

Hi! I am a registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer (RDCS). I have my AAS and BS degrees in ECHO. I am applying to medical school pretty soon to hopefully one day be a cardiologist. Do you think my experience as an echo tech will help me get into a cards fellowship? I have a lot of experience with echo, stress tests, ekg, nuc med tests, ect...

Thank you and congrats on everything!! I hope to be where you are one day!
~medgirl91

 

[medgirl91]

medgirl91- Well you're obviously way ahead of most fellows in training. I think it will help with matching into cards, but keep in mind that research trumps everything. You will also be ahead of the game if you choose to do imaging research because interpreting echos and the data will make a lot more sense to you.

Btw, medgirl, I have a question for you- Any tips on obtaining a good apical view? It's so damn hard.

littlecbug,

Thank you for your insight!!

When it comes to echo it is important to understand that every patient is very different. The way the heart sits in the chest, the rib spaces, and lung artifacts all play a roll in obtaining the best window and image. When I first started echo I can tell you that I thought it was the most confusing, abstract thing I have ever done..but then one day it just "clicks". My first semester of scanning, Apicals were definitely the most difficult images to obtain. Now, they are the easiest and become your "bread and butter" for echo. In terms of TTE, I usually start out more lateral on the patient. You may need to move up or down to make sure the image is not foreshortened. On men I tend to be right under the nipple line, but there really isn't a "rule" since every patient is comlpetely different. They usually say start out "low and lateral" then adjust from there. My best advice to you is keep at it- and one day you will think "wow, this is cake" and it will be second nature. TEE is another story....since everything is kind of upside down from TTE. The LA is always at the top of the screen.

Let me know if I can answer anymore questions. Echo is easier to "show" then to "tell"... 🙂
Best of Luck!!
~medgirl91

 

[NDESTRUKT]

Medgirl,

I applaud your decision to pursue medicine - I think your background provides an excellent life story to tell on interviews and would definitely convince your interviews that you've been exposed to medicine and why you chose this route. Best of luck to you!